Electric fluid-pressure engine



(No Model.)

G. WESTINGHOUSE, Jr.

ELECTRIC FLUID PRESSURE ENGINE.

No. 393,596. Patented Nov. 27, 1888.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR,

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"UNITED STATES PATENT C tric-E,

GEORGE IVESTINGHOUSE, JR, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

ELECTRIC FLUID-PRESSURE ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 893,596, dated November27, 1888.

Application filed July 30, 1888. Serial No. 281,404. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE WESTINGHOUSE, J r., a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State ofPennsylvania, have invented or discovered certain new and usefulImprovements in Electric Fluid-Pressure Engines, of which improvementthe following is a specification.

- In Letters Patent No. 358, 520, granted March 1, 1887, is describedand claimed an electrically-controlled fluidpressure mechanism for thepurpose of applying power at one, two, or more points at a distance fromthe operators stand, and also to cut off, reverse, and reapply suchpower, as circumstances may require. The invention included in saidLetters Patent, generally stated, consists in an engine wherein thecontrolling-valve is actuated by the same fluid-pressure which actuatesthe engine, said valve being controlled by electrically-actuatedescape-valves.

The invention herein relates to mechanism for locking said valve in itsdifferent positions, the locking mechanism being actuated by the samefluid-pressure which actuates the valve and engine and controlled by anelectricallyactuated escapevalve.

In the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification, isillustrated in sectional elevation a valve mechanism and itselectrically-controlled locking mechanism.

In the Letters Patent above referred to the valve mechanism is describedand shown as attached to the engine-cylinder; but in the presentinstance the valve-case 2 is formed on or secured to the auxiliaryreservoir 1, the supplyports 3 and 4 being connected to theengine-cylinder (not shown) by pipes 5 and 6. The auxiliary reservoir isconnected by the pipe 7 with any suitable source of supply and with thevalve-case by a passage or pipe, 8, shown in dotted lines. Between theports 3 and at is formed the port 9 for the escape of fluid-pressurefrom one or the other of the ports 3 or 4 and their connections inaccordance with the position of the valve 10, of any suitableconstruction, which also regulates the admission of fluid-pressure intothe ports 3 and 4. Vithin the valve-case is arranged a doubleendedpiston consisting of the heads 11 11 connected by the hollow stem 12,having a recessed block or U-shaped fork, 13, formed thereon forengagement with the valve 10. A small port, 14, in the stem 12 permitsof an equalization of pressure inside and outside of the hollow stem.The piston-heads 11 11 are packed in any suitable manner so that leakagepast them may be small, or they may be tightly packed and a smallleakage-groove (indicated by heavy black lines) may be formed in thewalls of the valvecase, or other suit-- able means may be employedwhereby fluidpressure may flow from between the pistonheads to thespaces between said heads and the ends of the case in sufficient amountto move the heads in either direction when the pressure in the oppositeend is relieved.

In the ends of the case or chest 2,and in line with the axis of thehollow stem 12,are formed valve-chambers for the reception of valves 1515, which seat outwardly with the pressure.

' These valve-chambers are connected with the open air by escape-ports16 16, the seats for the valves 15 15 being arranged between the portsand said chambers.

Rods 17 17,arranged within the hollow stem 12, bear at their outer endsagainst the valves 15 15, suitable springs, 18 18, being arrangedbetween the end collars on said rods and the bottoms of recesses formedin thepiston-h eads. These springs are preferably made of such lengthand are so arranged as to be operative in seating the valves only as thepistons approach thelimits of thcirstrokes. The springs are aided inseating the valves by fluid-pressure acting through the port 14 on theinner ends of the rods 17 17. The valves are un seated by thethrust-rods 19 19, each abutting against a screw-stem, 20, connected toa cap, 21, which constitutes the armature of a helix or coil, 22, ateach end of the valve case or chest, said coils being inclosed withinthe hollow annular core-extension 23.

The construction so far described is substantially similar to thatdescribed and claimed in the Letters Patent above referred to, in whichthe operation of said mechanism is also fully described.

It sometimes occurs in the use of the apparatus above described that thevalves 15 15 are either prevented from being fully seated by dirtorotherwise or are accidentally opened by lightning striking the electricconductors, thereby permitting of such an escape of fluid pressure aswill disturb the equilibrium of pressure at the ends of the piston aswill shift said piston and with it the valve, thereby actuating theengine. In case the engine thus accidentally shifted is connected toswitclr points it will be readily understood that such movement mightoccur just before or during the passage of a train over the points wouldcause a derailment of the train. In order to prevent such accidentalshifting of the valve mechanism I provide a locking mechanismconstructed substantially as follows: On the valve case or chest isformed or secured a cyl inder, 24-, in which is arranged a piston, 25,carrying a pin, 26, adapted when the piston is depressed or moved towardthe valve case or chest to engage holes 27 27 in a block, 28, formed onthe valve-stem 12. The cylinder 2t is connected with the valve-chest, soas to permit of the flow of fluidpressurc into the cylinder by a port,29, and provision is made, as described,in connection with thepistonheads ll 11f for the escape of fluid-pressure past the piston 25by a groove, 30, formed" in the wall of the cylinder, or by othersuitable means, for the purpose of establishing an equilibrium ofpressure on opposite sides of the piston, and thereby permit of theoperation of the spring 21 i nter posed between the piston and the outerend of the cylinder, to force the piston and thepin inwardly. In arecessor chamber, 32, formed in the head of the cylinder and having freecommunication with the inte rior of said cylinder, is arranged theoutwardly-seating valve 33, adapted to close the passage 34, which communicatcs through the port 35 with the open air. The valve is seated bythe action of a spring, 36, surrounding the guide-rod 37 and interposedbetween the valve and the nut 38 in the outer end of the chamber 3 Thevalve 33 is unseatcd by a pnslr rod, 39, connected by the armature of ahelix or coil inclosed within thehollow annular coreextcnsion 16. As thearmature and helix or coil employed for operating the valve 33 aresimilar in construction and operation to that shown at the right-handend of the valve, I have not considered it necessary to illustrate suchparts, but have shown only the case or coreextension within which theyare arranged.

In the drawing, the valve and its operating-connections are shown lockedto theleft, in which position of the valve 10 fluid-pressure is admittedto the port 4 and ,pipe 6, leading to one end of the operating-cylinder,(not shown,) and the port 3 is connected to the exhaust-port 9, therebyallowing fluid-pressure to escape from the opposite end of theoperating-cylinder. If new it is desired to shift the valve 10, thecircuit is completed through the helix controlling the valve 33, therebyunseating said valve and allowing the fluid-press are above the piston25 to escape. The fluidpressure on the under side of the piston 25 willraise it, compressing the spring 31 and withdrawing the pin 26 from thehole 27 in the block on the valve-stem 12. As soon as the abovedescribedunlocking operation has been effected the circuit through the helix 22is completed, thereby unseating the valve and permitting thefluid-pressure between the head 11 and the end of the case or chest toescape, whereupoplhe essiu-e on the opposite side of said headillfslifidifdodbleended piston and with it the valve 10 to the right.The circuits through the helices 22 and that controlling the valve 33are broken, thereby permitting the valve 15 and 33 to be seated. As soonas the valve 33 opens the fluid-pressure escaping past the pistonthrough the groove 30 will soon establish such an equilbrium of pressureon opposite sides of said piston as to permit the spring 31 to force thepiston down, the pin 26 entering the hole 27 in the block on thevalve-stem 12,and thus locking said stem and the parts connectedtherewith or operated thereby from any movement.

If while the above-described devices are in the positions shown in thedrawing the conductors leading to the helix 22 should be struck bylightning,or a current otherwise established in such circuit, therebyopening the valve 15, no shifting of the valve can be'effected, as thepin 26 is in engagement with the valve-stem; and, further, in case thevalve 15 should be displaced in any way, or should be prevented frombeing properly seated when last used, the leakage past suchpartially-opened valve cannot effect any change of position in themechanism as long as the pin 26 remains in engagement with the block 13.

Changes of structure which do not materially alter the operation orfunctions above described are included herein.

I claim herein as my invention- 1. In combination with the main ordistributing valve of a fluid-pressure motor,a piston connectedtherewith and operated in one direction or the other by variations in acontinuously-acting fluid-pressure, an electricallyactuated valvegoverning the exhaust from one side of said piston, and a lock forholding the distributing-valve in different positions, substantially asset forth.

2. In combination with the main distributing-valve of a fluid-pressureengine, and with a piston subject to a variable fluid-pressure inopposite directions to actuate the same, magnets and valves for varyingby electric agency the effective direction of the fluid-pressure on thepiston, and an electrically-controlled lock for holding thedistributing-valve in its different positions, substantially as setforth.

3. In combination with ailuid-pressure cylinder and piston, a valvegoverning the supply and exhaust,a piston to actuate said valve subjectto fluid-pressure in opposite directions, a lock for controlling themovements of said valve, escape-ports for alternately exhausting thepressure from one side or the other of such piston, and anelectrically-actuated valve to each escape port, substantially as setforth.

4-. In combination with the main distributing-valve of a fluid-pressureengine, a piston subject to a variable fluid-pressu re in oppositedirections to actuate the same, magnets and valves for varying byelectric agency the effective direction of the fiuid-pressnre on thevalve-piston, a piston carrying a locking-pin and subject to variablefluid-pressure, a magnet, and a valve for varying by electric agency thefluid-pressure on one side of said piston, substantially as set forth.

5. In combination with the main or dis tributing valve of afluidpressure motor, a piston connected therewith and operated in onedirection or the other by variations in a continually actingfluid-pressure, a piston carrying a locking-pin and subject to variablefluid-pressure, an electrically-actuated valve controlling the exhaustfrom one side of said piston for shifting the same in one direction, aspring for shifting the piston in the opposite direction, and anelectrically-actuated valve governing the exhaust of fluid-pressure fromone side of said piston, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

GEO. WESTINGHOUSE, IVitnesses:

W. I). Urrnonlirr, DARWIN S. X'Voroorrr.

